The Pyre
by Funus Nex
Summary: Drabbles...If Arthur decided to execute Merlin for his magic, who would Merlin call? Kilgharrah! ... What if Arthur hung Gwen for her betrayal?...Merlin did look like a postman...what if someone tried to betray merlin in court...It's a little short...
1. The Pyre

"Any last words?" Arthur asked.

"O drakon, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo!" the prisoner roared, straining against the magic restricting chains.

Shocked, the guards withdrew their weapons watching the sullen sorcerer. After confirming it was nothing Sir Leon stepped forward, head bowed, and gently lay the flaming torch at the base of the pyre, backing away quickly.

The king watched solemnly as the flames began to lick at his stoic former man servant. Guinevere hugging herself to him, holding in her desperate tears, silently begging her husband to be lenient. He ignored her.

Screams echoed throughout the crowd. Searching for the cause of their discomfort the king checked the pyre for any sign of life.

"Why have you done this to him?"

Looking up, Arthur almost turned tail and ran at the mere sight, having to remind himself he defeated one dragon, he could do it again. Unfortunately that little voice at the back of his head, sounding distinctly like Merlin, looked extremely similar to the great dragon.

With an audible gulp, he replied, "Done what to whom, might I ask?" silently ordering his knights t surround the creature, and the guards to ready their crossbows.

"You pathetic Pendragon, don't you dare feign ignorance. I speak of my kin, Merlin. For he is the only reason Camelot isn't ash beneath my claws. You, Arthur Pendragon, have condemned your kingdom to a hundred years of war. For Merlin was the goddesses champion and all who possess magic are honour bound to avenge him. I almost pity you."

Speechless, Arthur watched as the dragon breathed on the roaring flames of the pyre and retrieved a baby. A baby with small tufts of black hair and golden eyes, giggling in delight as the dragon set Camelot alight.


	2. Baby Merlin

**Baby Merlin**

"Daddy! Daddy!" yelled the excited snow white dragon, "Why's squishy-daddy so small?"

Kilgharrah only growled in response.

"Please Daddy!"

Sighing wearily the elder dragon tried to convey the most recent events without upsetting his surrogate son. "_Merlin_'s former friends decided he was no longer welcome and..." pausing, he watched Aithusa's face for any sign of distress, thankfully she hadn't caught on.


	3. Postman

"Morning!" he croaked, waving at the early morning jogger who merely smiled in response. "All righty then," he grumbled.

He'd been walking this well-worn path for years now, only recently had the dirt track shifted into to tarmacked pavement. Instead of a place of solitude, it was now a busy road overlooking a lake that no one dared enter.

He'd often found the locals tales of the Devil and his demons resting place to be disrespectful and told the young to respect the past. He hated the receding of the old religion, replaced with what he soon discovered to be known as Christianity.

Luckily, back then, people were taught to respect their elders so he was left alone, as he is today. Yet the town's people have always been curious about the old man, who never changed. Every generation has seen him, in fact nowadays he's found wandering the streets every morning, a greeting on his lips for everyone he meets.

He has a reason of course, he needs to earn a living, how could he afford his house on the edge of the nameless lake? Today though he would be taking an extra stop, a couple had moved into the house overlooking the other side of the lake.

"Delivery to a Mister Calamum-Dracone?" he asked, knocking on the heavy wooden door, steeping back as it opened with an ominous creak.

"Thanks," a tall, blonde young man stepped forwarded, prying the long thin box from the shocked elderly man.

"Arthur?" he whispered.

"How did you know?" paling, he turned slightly and called out, "Guinevere, there's someone at the door I think you should meet."

Confused, the elderly man allowed himself to be led into the expensive house. Sitting back in his comfy armchair, he looked questionably to his host. His only answer being a stack of cartridge paper with a handwritten note one top.

Dear beloved brother,

I have been having strange dreams again, Gaius suggested I take up drawing and try to sketch the dreams out of head, that if I have a conduit then perhaps the dreams will leave me. It appears to be working. I will speak to you more soon, but I thought you might like some explanation for the following pictures; I thought you might in interested in what has been troubling me all these years.

Your ever-loving sister,

Morgana

Gulping audibly, he flicked through the pictures, resting upon the final image.

A man with long, greying hair standing upon a ridge, coiled wood staff in hand, commandeering lightening. A man that appeared to be a mirror image of himself. Oh dear…


	4. Merlin

"Merlin!"

"Yes, Arthur?" he questioned tentivivley, unsure of Arthur's sudden mood change.

"It is with my deepest regrets that..."

"What Arther," Merlin snapped, cutting him off.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself Arthur replied, "_Mer_lin..."

"_Ar_thur?"

"You're Fired!"

"What?!"


	5. Bye Gwen

"Guinvere?" a familiar voice called out as a flickering torch appaered in the gloom

"Merlin?!" she cried anxiously,"Thank Goddess your here!"

"Gwen," he muttered softly, eyes watering, "The King has declared you shall be hung at dawn. The people are mourning you already. I wish I could help, but- Agravaine-"

Turning away he continued, "Agravaine convinced Arthur that execution was the best way to prove he is a strong King, I'm sorry Gwen..."

"Merlin... Stop! Don't leave! MERLIN" she shouted as Merlin turned on his heel and fled, head hung low.

* * *

Half hidden in shadow Merlin watched from his perch in the tower nearest the courtyard, watching the procession. Sobbing and screaming children crying out for their almost queen.

He wished he could help, but he couldn't jepordise his destiny, the Great Dragon instructed him to turn a blind eye, last time he helped the consequences were harsh. Listening carefully he awaited the kings command, as his hand fell and the executioner flicked the lever Gwen remained silent.

Arthur never taking his eyes off his almost wife, ignoring his feelings and focusing as Agravaine instructed him too, not even as she hung there.

"I loved you Arthur, not Lancelot. Why won't you believe me Arthur? Please..." she chocked out almost inaudibly, and then she died.

Despite the lack of volume eveyone heard her last words and turned to their king, raising their randomly appearing assortment of pitchforks.

Cobalt eyes flashed gold.


	6. Arthur's the idiot, not Merlin!

**Arthur is the idiot, not Merlin!**

"What is this?" the King cried as an old man was dragged into the room, during a meeting of the round table.

"Your Majesty," one of the guards began, "this man was reported to have magic. He is a sorcerer sire." Bowing his head, subtly taking a gold coin from his partner.

Signing, the King replied, "Was this man doing any harm," neither man spoke up, eyes firmly trained on the floor, "then why have you interrupted my meeting? No one was to interrupt unless there was a situation of utmost importance."

Taking this as their cue to speak, trading another gold coin, the first guard asked, "He was spying, sire. I – we didn't want him to find out something important just in case he was able to escape. Would you like us to take him to the dungeon until you can deal with him?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose he looked towards his Queen for strength, "You have already interrupted us enough, the trial can be taken now." The king asked Gwaine and Elyan to bring the elderly man to his feet, sending the guards to protect the door.

After asking the man a few rudimentary questions he motioned for the gurds to take him away and for him to burn at the stake at sunrise. The old man, fearing his fate called out, "Wait! I know something that could help you against Morgana! Please, I'm begging you!"

"And what would that be, this may not save your life, if you are working with Morgana your fate is sealed. Whether you betray her or not!"

"I'm not with Morgana, I only answer to Emrys! I know his identity, this could give you the upper hand against Morgana. If you get him on your side you will have the might of a dragon as old as time, the power to demolish a kingdom, the loyalty of a thousand sorcerers and the Triple Goddesses favour."

It was at this moment that Merlin entered the room, having left to get some more wine for the knights and Arthur. Noticing the knights terse positions and Arthur's contemplative state Merlin froze and asked, "Arthur…"

"Yes Merlin?"

"Have you been trying to think again?" smirking he returned to his place beside Arthur and asked what the hell was going on.

"This man was arrested for sorcery and believes he has information that will save him. Something about the identity of Emrys?"

The blood drained from Merlin's face, eyes growing dark, before instantly a bright smile split across his face. "You actually believe this fool? Emrys is a myth, it would be of no use to you."

"We might as well hear him out, these may well be his last words."

Slightly desperate now, Merlin countered, "Perhaps he's stalling, gathering his magic so he can escape. All this time humouring him may actually be a trap."

Frowning, Arthur stared at the elderly man who could barely stand, "Excuse me if I'm wrong but surely you should be defending this man?" Not waiting for an answer, he turned back to the man asked, "Who is Emrys?"

"Him!" he croaked, pointing dramatically at Merlin.

It took Arthur all of two seconds to realize he was pointing at Merlin, unable to refrain his laughter, he motioned for Gwaine (who was looking at Merlin strangely) Elyan to release the man to the two guards.

"You are banished on pain on death. Your attempt at freedom has made my day, Merlin capable of flattening kingdoms? A sorcerer? He's deathly afraid of them. Surely you could have chosen a better candidate?"

With that the man was taken from the throne room.

"I told you Arthur."

"Oh, shut up _Mer_lin!"

Merlin just fled, silently laughing at Arthur's stupidity, rushing so he could tell Gaius.


	7. What Arthur!

"Arthur?"

The king remained in his seat, unperturbed, anxiously searching the maps for a location for the sorcerer Emrys to be hidden. He had been warned the night before by a small man that if he didn't find Emrys before the Solstice, tomorrow, the kingdom would fall.

"Arthur?" he tried again, attempting to gain the king's attention.

"Arthur?!"

"ARTHUR PENDRAGON!" he screeched.

"What Merlin?" replied Arthur, turning around, exasperated.

Looking at his shoes, he took a deep breath and tried to quell the rising uneasiness. _Perhaps it would be smarter to try not to anger the King? _**_Nah._**

"Arthur..." vision fading he started to spin, vertigo clouding his senses.

"Yes Merlin? MERLIN?!"

"IHaveMagicAndImEmrys." He whispered, sinking to the ground in a dead feint.

"What?!" Arthur cried, leaping to his feet and lifting the pale servant off the ground and hurrying to Gaius. Kicking the door open and ignoring Gaius's previous patient he gently lay Merlin on the boy's bed and turned to Gaius.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. He was trying to get my attention and tell me something but he fell to the ground before he could tell me."

"This is grave news I fear."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing sire, just..."

"Just what?"

"He may have been telling you Emrys identity, and he will be unconscious till tomorrow morning which is too late."

Gaping, the young King collapsed from exhaustion and as he slept the kingdom fell around him.


End file.
